I was 'data captain' for cumberland county democrats during the Obama campaign and I got an up close and personal look at votebuilder (which is their database/application suite). as a professional systems analyst, lemme tell ya - this thing is well designed. literally anyone can use it - it's UI is slick, it's well thought out, it's lightweight so it'll work on any computer out there (via any browser connection). I could pull up lists of local democrats, sort out the ones we'd contacted and who said they'd help and within 5 min I had a list printing out of people to call and schedule for election day. I ended up teaching people to use it, and no matter the skill level of the end user, they ALL could do basic entry tasks and basic database functions with minimal training and a bit of practice.

the tech backing the Democrats these days had some very big brains behind it's design.

Republicans were mocking Barack Obama for being a community organizer yet they worshiped Palin? If republican cognitive dissonance and projection could be an alternate fuel, we'd have perfectly clean air and warp capable ships by now.

Mugato:Republicans were mocking Barack Obama for being a community organizer yet they worshiped Palin? If republican cognitive dissonance and projection could be an alternate fuel, we'd have perfectly clean air and warp capable ships by now.

She has executive experience. Unlike the empty su...snert... Nope couldn't do it.

Mugato:Republicans were mocking Barack Obama for being a community organizer yet they worshiped Palin? If republican cognitive dissonance and projection could be an alternate fuel, we'd have perfectly clean air and warp capable ships by now.

i'm still floored that the GOP apparently had zero logistical abilities. none. Team Obama was tightly run and we knew what we were doing, how we were going to get there and come election day, damn if it didn't play out exactly as engineered.

I was essentially the site logistics coordinator* for our ward. I've worked on a couple campaigns in the past and I was most impressed by the organizational structure of OFA. It was fairly structured from the State Campaign Director on down to the Field Organizer level, but at the Field level it was fairly collaborative. The model reminded me a lot of Amway: convincing your neighbors to convince your neighbors to convince your neighbors buy your product. Other campaigns I've worked on relied on canvassers and phonebankers from outside the neighborhood/city/county to do the leg work, but in this case it was probably someone you knew or recognized from the area. That's really powerful for GOTV efforts and it allowed us to take advantage of local knowledge to be more effective (e.g., we told our FO there was no point in canvassing with 7 minutes left in the Steelers/Giants game and that if we did send people out, we'd most likely lose votes).

That being said, the biggest complaint we got was that people were hit multiple times by multiple different organizations with whom we had no contact (i.e. the Unions and the PACs). Unfortunately, there was no way we could have avoided that.

/*This wasn't an official title for the campaign (for those of you in the know), but I was doing the tasks of the "Data Captain", "Comfort Captain", and "Site Coordinator".

EvilEgg:Mugato: Republicans were mocking Barack Obama for being a community organizer yet they worshiped Palin? If republican cognitive dissonance and projection could be an alternate fuel, we'd have perfectly clean air and warp capable ships by now.

She has executive experience. Unlike the empty su...snert... Nope couldn't do it.

Really. She was governor of Alaska for a few hours and quit. What, Andy Griffith wasn't available?

That being said, the biggest complaint we got was that people were hit multiple times by multiple different organizations with whom we had no contact (i.e. the Unions and the PACs). Unfortunately, there was no way we could have avoided that.

that was less of an issue in my area, since it's nominally Republican...but we did hit the same people multiple times - phone calls and canvassing neighborhoods. we made sure to make AT LEAST two passes through neighborhoods on election day in order to get out the vote. again, we knew this was the plan and we had a clear chain of command up to central party HQ in philly.

Weaver95:i'm still floored that the GOP apparently had zero logistical abilities. none. Team Obama was tightly run and we knew what we were doing, how we were going to get there and come election day, damn if it didn't play out exactly as engineered.

We had the biggest fights with Philly HQ. Honestly, I know that we were behind on statewide numbers on Sunday night, but no one in Pittsburgh was going to answer the door or pick up the phone during a Steelers game (and one so close at that). It wasn't worth our time or effort; Philly didn't seem to understand that.

Weaver95:I was 'data captain' for cumberland county democrats during the Obama campaign and I got an up close and personal look at votebuilder (which is their database/application suite). as a professional systems analyst, lemme tell ya - this thing is well designed. literally anyone can use it - it's UI is slick, it's well thought out, it's lightweight so it'll work on any computer out there (via any browser connection). I could pull up lists of local democrats, sort out the ones we'd contacted and who said they'd help and within 5 min I had a list printing out of people to call and schedule for election day. I ended up teaching people to use it, and no matter the skill level of the end user, they ALL could do basic entry tasks and basic database functions with minimal training and a bit of practice.

the tech backing the Democrats these days had some very big brains behind it's design.

The DNC is really falling behind the GOP in binder technology however.

We had the biggest fights with Philly HQ. Honestly, I know that we were behind on statewide numbers on Sunday night, but no one in Pittsburgh was going to answer the door or pick up the phone during a Steelers game (and one so close at that). It wasn't worth our time or effort; Philly didn't seem to understand that.

our issue with philly was that they didn't seem to understand that knocking on doors out here can literally take hours - especially in the more rural areas like perry county. they were always like 'your late with your canvass data' and i'm like 'dude...they're out in the f*cking woods. give 'em time, they'll come back'.

Weaver95:I was 'data captain' for cumberland county democrats during the Obama campaign and I got an up close and personal look at votebuilder (which is their database/application suite). as a professional systems analyst, lemme tell ya - this thing is well designed. literally anyone can use it - it's UI is slick, it's well thought out, it's lightweight so it'll work on any computer out there (via any browser connection). I could pull up lists of local democrats, sort out the ones we'd contacted and who said they'd help and within 5 min I had a list printing out of people to call and schedule for election day. I ended up teaching people to use it, and no matter the skill level of the end user, they ALL could do basic entry tasks and basic database functions with minimal training and a bit of practice.

the tech backing the Democrats these days had some very big brains behind it's design.

So, does he take it with him or does he try to use it to take the House in 2014?

I don't want to go to off-topic but I've recently been slammed and ridiculed for saying "Progressive" and yet within the article is says:

"A new focus on how Democrats and progressives are on the winning side of the data wars."

Can the Fark Left/Progressives/Liberals/whatever give those of us on the Right some guidance on what's not going to get your feathers ruffled? It's in the interest Farking for all.

Also those of us on the younger side of the Right have been rallying at the Old Guard that they need to get with it. Romney's campaign was the first time they started to listen but they still have a way to go.

I was always expecting something like this would come to light when the dust settled. Not that I had any specific info about what it would be specifically, just that one hallmark of Team Obama over the years has been an understated grasp on technology and an even lower profile on the various schemes they have devised to deal with certain situations. This particular DB and its obvious backend capabilities, fall right into line with this very mature, reserved and methodical manner in which TO has operated on the campaign trail and in the WH.

While this may be a stretch, I have also had questions as to the first debate where Obama was trounced. It was so out of character, I can only think it was a calculated move to bait R2 into a trap of sorts that was later sprung, not at the other debates so much, but in the manner the campaign was conducted in a general way up to the election night. Maybe it was a diversion to put R2 on a different track away from focusing on TO's actual strategy of GOtV and other efforts. R2 ended up chasing its tail around the country while TO carried on with their plan. It also allowed Obama to shift focus from campaigning to important issues of governance when needed as his actions during Sandy demonstrated.

Anyway, it is obvious that R2 was played like a deck of cards by Team Obama and since election night, there is at least a couple of stories each day as to the ineptitude of the Romney campaign in general.

Weaver95:Mugato: Republicans were mocking Barack Obama for being a community organizer yet they worshiped Palin? If republican cognitive dissonance and projection could be an alternate fuel, we'd have perfectly clean air and warp capable ships by now.

i'm still floored that the GOP apparently had zero logistical abilities. none. Team Obama was tightly run and we knew what we were doing, how we were going to get there and come election day, damn if it didn't play out exactly as engineered.

I remember back when you were the biggest bush-ite. man, times have changed.

SouthParkCon:I don't want to go to off-topic but I've recently been slammed and ridiculed for saying "Progressive" and yet within the article is says:

"A new focus on how Democrats and progressives are on the winning side of the data wars."

Can the Fark Left/Progressives/Liberals/whatever give those of us on the Right some guidance on what's not going to get your feathers ruffled? It's in the interest Farking for all.

Also those of us on the younger side of the Right have been rallying railing at the Old Guard that they need to get with it. Romney's campaign was the first time they started to listen but they still have a way to go.

We had the biggest fights with Philly HQ. Honestly, I know that we were behind on statewide numbers on Sunday night, but no one in Pittsburgh was going to answer the door or pick up the phone during a Steelers game (and one so close at that). It wasn't worth our time or effort; Philly didn't seem to understand that.

our issue with philly was that they didn't seem to understand that knocking on doors out here can literally take hours - especially in the more rural areas like perry county. they were always like 'your late with your canvass data' and i'm like 'dude...they're out in the f*cking woods. give 'em time, they'll come back'.

I remember similar arguements back from '08. In order to canvass my area I had to drive, and in many cases it was 10 mins or so between houses. And you really didn't want to make a mistake and end up on Farmer Brown's property, where if his dogs didn't get you, his 30-06 would.

We also had the problem of MoveOn and other orgs overlapping with calls and canvasses.

I found most of what I did in the closing days of the '08 election was explain to people different aspects of voting, and how to get to the polling place.

That said, find job this year in PA Team Obama, Romney never had a chance in this state.

SuperT:Weaver95: Mugato: Republicans were mocking Barack Obama for being a community organizer yet they worshiped Palin? If republican cognitive dissonance and projection could be an alternate fuel, we'd have perfectly clean air and warp capable ships by now.

i'm still floored that the GOP apparently had zero logistical abilities. none. Team Obama was tightly run and we knew what we were doing, how we were going to get there and come election day, damn if it didn't play out exactly as engineered.

I remember back when you were the biggest bush-ite. man, times have changed.

Yea, I didn't pick up that Weaver had gone over to the Left. That is a change.

TheOther:So, does he take it with him or does he try to use it to take the House in 2014?

well, look at it this way - the voter lists we built this election are going to be used as the basis for GOTV efforts in 2014. we know who we reached, who came out to vote for us and its likely that if we reach out to them again, we could get them to vote Democratic party in the mid terms.

plus, Limbaugh and the GOP are spending their time right now yelling at voters and calling them stupid. because THAT'll work out so well for 'em in 2014, right?

Weaver95:I was 'data captain' for cumberland county democrats during the Obama campaign and I got an up close and personal look at votebuilder (which is their database/application suite). as a professional systems analyst, lemme tell ya - this thing is well designed. literally anyone can use it - it's UI is slick, it's well thought out, it's lightweight so it'll work on any computer out there (via any browser connection). I could pull up lists of local democrats, sort out the ones we'd contacted and who said they'd help and within 5 min I had a list printing out of people to call and schedule for election day. I ended up teaching people to use it, and no matter the skill level of the end user, they ALL could do basic entry tasks and basic database functions with minimal training and a bit of practice.

the tech backing the Democrats these days had some very big brains behind it's design.

It's funny because the GOP demonizes and actively tries to purge their party of the people who can create systems like this, then scratch their heads in amazement when their technical abilities are adversely affected.

There will be some fun news coming soon about the complete and utter failure of Project ORCA.

Weaver95:TheOther:So, does he take it with him or does he try to use it to take the House in 2014?

well, look at it this way - the voter lists we built this election are going to be used as the basis for GOTV efforts in 2014. we know who we reached, who came out to vote for us and its likely that if we reach out to them again, we could get them to vote Democratic party in the mid terms.

plus, Limbaugh and the GOP are spending their time right now yelling at voters and calling them stupid. because THAT'll work out so well for 'em in 2014, right?

While the butthurt is going to have to run its course, I wouldn't assume that is what the RNC will be depending on in 2014. I know Fark see's the Tea Party and GOP as a bunch of racist backward hillbillies but the reality is that a lot of people getting involved on the Right just don't have the experience that the Left has in community organizing. That is beginning to change, will it make a difference? I would hope so. I know a vast majority of Farkers would support a Democratic super-majority however like the old saying goes "Absolute power corrupts absolutely" and for the record I wouldn't support a Republican super-majority either.

SouthParkCon:Also those of us on the younger side of the Right have been rallying at the Old Guard that they need to get with it. Romney's campaign was the first time they started to listen but they still have a way to go.

I canvassed for the Obama campaign in 2008, and even back then they had a pretty tight organization. But from everything I've read over the past couple of days, they seriously stepped up their game during the last four years by consolidating their databases, employing all sorts of industry standard A/B differential techniques to craft their campaign emails, and generally running a truly 21st century national campaign...

In stark contrast, on September 10th I received a piece of fundraising snail mail from the Mitt Romney campaign, describing me as "one of our party's most prominent members." Dude, you've got databases. Use them.

Headso:SouthParkCon: Can the Fark Left/Progressives/Liberals/whatever give those of us on the Right some guidance on what's not going to get your feathers ruffled? It's in the interest Farking for all.

Right wingers shouldn't use either and continue using spiteful rhetoric and mangled versions of both words in school yard taunt fashion. That will appeal to the most amount of people.

SouthParkCon:SuperT: Weaver95: Mugato: Republicans were mocking Barack Obama for being a community organizer yet they worshiped Palin? If republican cognitive dissonance and projection could be an alternate fuel, we'd have perfectly clean air and warp capable ships by now.

i'm still floored that the GOP apparently had zero logistical abilities. none. Team Obama was tightly run and we knew what we were doing, how we were going to get there and come election day, damn if it didn't play out exactly as engineered.

I remember back when you were the biggest bush-ite. man, times have changed.

Yea, I didn't pick up that Weaver had gone over to the Left. That is a change.

yea, I remember when I first saw his name pop up in threads way back when. I remember thinking "when did republicans find the internet?" Now I feel old.

While the butthurt is going to have to run its course, I wouldn't assume that is what the RNC will be depending on in 2014. I know Fark see's the Tea Party and GOP as a bunch of racist backward hillbillies but the reality is that a lot of people getting involved on the Right just don't have the experience that the Left has in community organizing. That is beginning to change, will it make a difference? I would hope so. I know a vast majority of Farkers would support a Democratic super-majority however like the old saying goes "Absolute power corrupts absolutely" and for the record I wouldn't support a Republican super-majority either.

i'm going to disagree here a bit - the Right does know how to organize. they're not entirely stupid, and the tea party has organized/motivated teams of voters to get out the vote and pull down powerful members of the GOP that the baggers felt needed to go. so its not that they lack the knowledge or experience. what's ripping the GOP up is that 1. they are sloooooooow to adapt new technologies and 2. the GOP has serious control issues. past a certain point you have to trust that your regional leaders know what they're doing and you have to give 'em free reign to get the job done in their own way. the GOP has big problems trusting regional directors with that level of responsibility. they want to maintain control at the top and have a very strong central control that calls all the shots.